The Death and Life of Bobby Z (2007)

Did you people see the same film I saw?

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Although I've never really been a fan of action films, "The Death and Life of Bobby Z" is a film that I saw when I was much younger, and it's one of the few of the genre that I can still remember of. Last night I watched it again, and I may now understand why it's so good: it has a very cool plot. This story's writers have invented a lot of messy situations in which corrupt people and criminals try to fool each other, and the one who gets away with it is, obviously, our nostalgic actor Paul Walker. He plays a convicted that needs to pretend being the famous Bobby Z, in order to escape from his certain next conviction. It feels right, for me, to state that Walker does his job perfectly, despite the fact that he looks more like a model than like a bandit. His character in here is similar to Van Damme's in 1999's "Inferno". Directing is also very well done, delivering plenty of enjoyable scenes, which end up bringing irony and fun, instead of suspense-- which is more often in action films. So, long story short, "The Death and Life of Bobby Z" is a project that proves to be GREAT, and I really want to know why it's still so unknown in mainstream.

A convicted felon is used as a substitute for a drug dealer by law enforcement in an attempt to trade for an undercover officer being held by a drug baron. All the clichés are there, crooked cops, clueless felon, hairy bikers, sociopath drug baron, innocent child victim, Judas friend and a bad girl seeking redemption. This one has the whole lineup. Not particularly believable story with a plot line that does not really hang together particularly well and really lacks substance. Not a bad movie that I would ridicule people for participating in but it is definitely a straight to DVD B-Grader.How the mighty have fallen, from the Matrix to this for Laurence Fishburne, who would have to recognize he is on the way down if he is taking on projects of this caliber. Olivia Wilde on the other hand is stunning, although more than a little lacking in emotive range and is hopefully using this as a vehicle on the way up as she develops.I am beginning to suspect Paul Walker only has one character in his range and I just hope he makes enough money off that before the gravy train derails. This is worth watching but set the bar low before you start, and savor Olivia Wilde's eyes because that is about the best thing that is going to happen on screen in this piece of cinema.

I was toggling back & forth between the Wisconsin Badgers Football season opener & this movie on DVR AND IT WAS COMPELLING ENOUGH that for awhile I forgot to flip back to the game!!! So obviously I have no idea why this audience-tested badly or why people think Paul Walker can't act. Plus he's got a great cast to back him up...The mystery of why this was going down hooked me early & I cared about what happened to these people (at least the good guys) For the girl-watchers out there ~ Olivia Wild is jaw-droppingly GORGEOUS!! I Can't believe I've seen movies with her in them before & not noticed!!! Definitely worth the rental price if you have to go that route.

I must say upfront I found 'The Death & Life of Bobby Z' to be quite sad and disappointing. I have read a great book by the author from where it came (half read another) and I really felt let down with this effort on screen. All I can think of is that the director John Herzfeld (15 Minutes, 2 Days in the Valley) didn't get to do what he wanted to do. I am sure he loved the book, which rights for were purchased for a considerable sum.The story is that DEA agent Tad Gruzsa, played by Laurence Fishburne, provides former Marine Tim Kearney, played by Walker, with a way out of his prison sentence. By impersonating the legendary criminal Bobby Z... I felt it was a little too convoluted, slow in places (read 'quite boring'), stupid too in others, and don't think Paul Walker, or (surprisingly) Fishburne clinched their characters in what should have been an action, reasonably fast paced thriller.Please do not watch this movie. It was very woeful... It was sad to see the great Neo, the terrific Laurence Fishburne incur this. Paul Walker? Forget it...I was looking forward to seeing this film on the power of Laurence Fishburne primarily, Paul Walker, and secondly the author of the source (book) material, Don Winslow. I'm sure this book was great, like the one I have read 'The Winter of Frankie Machine' which is being turned into a movie with Robert De Niro starring, 'The Winter of Frankie Machine' by Scorcese...But 'The Death & Life of Bobby Z' is one of the most woeful films, sloppy piece of celluloid dross, I have had the misfortune to see in a very long… See it at your own peril.